By contrast, a second successive defeat for Bath was a hammer blow to their hopes of qualifying for the knock-out stages.
 
A week after Bath Rugby lost 37-10 away to Glasgow Warriors – the biggest defeat in their history in Europe's top flight – there was more misery for Mike Ford’s men as Toulouse ran in three tries.
 
One of those came from Vincent Clerc, the tournament’s leading try scorer going over for a remarkable 36th try in 75 appearances against Europe’s elite.
 
Bath did ensure there would be a grandstand finish with a late try from hooker Ross Batty but by then the damage had been done.
 
The last time the two sides met was back in January 2009 when they played out the lowest scoring match in European history. The 3-3 draw was enough for Bath to advance to the quarter-final stage but this time it is Toulouse eyeing a place in the last eight thanks to their 99th tournament victory from 140 starts.
 
Bath did have the home faithful on their feet early on with their pack driving the Toulouse eight back at the rate of knots, loosehead prop Paul James taking the plaudits from his team-mates with his work on the giant Census Johnston.
 
Welsh referee Nigel Owen penalised the Samoan for taking the scrum down and, with barely five minutes played, outside half George Ford punished them on the scoreboard with a well struck 44 metres penalty goal.
 
First blood went to the 1998 European champions and another scrum produced another penalty for Bath as Director of Rugby Guy Noves showed his touchline frustration as the four-times kings of Europe struggled early on.
 
But that turned to delight as Toulouse twice tested the Bath defence to the left before switching the attack right for master finished right wing Clerc to canter over courtesy of a well worked overlap for the first try of the match and his 36th.
 
England international outside half Toby Flood converted but then saw two later penalty goal chances hooked wide to the left to let Bath off the hook, Florian Fritz having no better luck with a speculative drop goal effort.
 
By contrast Ford was on target with a 31st minute drop goal to cut Toulouse’s half-time deficit to just a single point.
 
The second half started the same as the first with James again earning his side a penalty from the opening scrum, Ford trying to gain too much territory and seeing his kick fail to go safely into touch and provide his forwards with a great attacking platform.
 
Clerc again threatened with the ball in hand but it was the boot of Ford that produced the next points, his penalty goal edging Bath ahead for the second time after 46 minutes of full-blooded action.
 
However, that advantage was short lived as the Bath defence was stretched one way then the other for back rower Imanol Harinordoquy – later named as Heineken Man-of-the-Match – to go over unopposed and Flood making a mockery of his earlier fluffed chances by landing the difficult conversion.
 
A strong run from lock Dominic Day gave Bah valuable momentum, Ford on target with his third successful penalty goal, full back Anthony Watson following that by getting behind the Toulouse defence.
 
Front row changes saw Bath in bother at a scrum and relentless pressure on the Bath line ended with the 16th phase producing the third Toulouse try, full back Maxime Medard the one to profit this time.
 
Luke McAlister took over the kicking duties and added the conversion via the right upright to leave Bath requiring two scores and just 15 minutes remaining in which to do it.
 
A foot in touch denied Bath but from a line-out drive Batty was the one to dive over for their try, Ford’s conversion setting up a grandstand finish but Toulouse holding out to take the spoils.